There has been a rash of positive tests under the steroid policy as a result of players taking water pills to lose weight," a highly-placed NFL source said.

The source told FOX 31s Josina Anderson Friday morning that New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister, and defensive end Will Smith were included in the web of positive tests.

There are about six to ten overall positive tests. Three to four of them are from the Saints organization alone including McAllister and Smith.

The source told Anderson there were no Denver Broncos players that were a part of this group.

McAllister and Smith are in a group of players that have tested positive specifically for a diuretic known as Bumetanide. Some of the players in the group of six to ten tested positive for a different substance.

"Most of them tested positive for Bumetanide," said the league source. "The last few tested positive for another substance that works similarly.

Experts at the Mayo Clinic describe Bumetanide as a drug belonging to a group of medicines called loop diuretics or water pills. Its uses include the treatment of fluid retention and swelling caused by medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, liver disease, and kidney disease.

However, the source told Anderson that Bumetanide has another use which makes it one of the NFLs banned substances.

[Bumetanide] can also mask the use of other drugs or steroids.

Dr. Norman Smith, the lead physician at an internal medical practice in Maryland confirmed this assertion to Fox 31 Sports.

Bumetanide makes you excrete a lot of salt and water. It dilutes the urine and makes it very difficult to test for illegal substances. There are some patients who use or abuse it where weight is critical, Dr. Smith said.

Weight loss is the main reason the highly-placed league source identifies as to why this group of NFL players tested positive for this drug. It seems to be clear that most of these players were doing it to cut weight.

When the source was asked how theyre more confident these players used Bumetanide as a weight loss agent as opposed to a masking agent, the source replied, I know that a few of these players have had weight issues.

The source also suggested some of the players may not have known Bumetanide is on the NFLs list of banned substances.

I dont think many of them are attempting to cheat, or even know it is on the list. We are talking big guys who have likely never seen a steroid in their life. My understanding of the steroid policy is that it was intended to catch cheaters or people using performance enhancing substances to gain a competitive edge. These guys dont fall into that category, said the source.

Regardless, all of the players in this group of positive tests, including McAllister and Smith, are subject to a suspension pending an appeal to the league. Under the NFLs steroid policy, a players first positive test results in a four-game suspension.

Smiths listed agent, Joel Segal, was not immediately available to comment. A representative for McAllisters agent, Jim Steiner, said the agent would call back.

REPORT: MORE THAN 10 OR 15 PLAYERS TESTED POSITIVEPosted by Michael David Smith on October 24, 2008, 1:20 p.m.

ESPNs Chris Mortensen is reporting that the rash of positive tests under the NFL policy on steroids and related substances may be even more widespread than initially reported.

According to Mortensens report, which aired on SportsCenter, the number of players who tested positive is actually more than 10 and may exceed 15. Mortensen also confirmed that Saints running back Deuce McAllister and defensive end Will Smith were among those who tested positive.

ESPN credited Josina Anderson of FOX 31 in Denver for being the first to report the story.

Attorney David Cornwell told Mortensen that a number of players have retained him to represent them in the appeals process. He declined to name those players or say how many players he will represent in positive drug test appeals.

NEW YORK (AP) Minnesota Vikings defensive linemen Kevin and Pat Williams were to meet with NFL officials to appeal their suspensions after testing positive for a weight-loss diuretic considered a masking agent for steroids.

The hearing was to be followed Tuesday by additional appeals for three New Orleans Saints: running back Deuce McAllister and defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith.

All are subject to four-game suspensions. There is no indication when the NFLs decision will be announced.

The league estimates that six to eight players have been identified as testing positive for the banned substance Bumetanide. It is contained in an over-the-counter weight-loss pill called StarCaps the players apparently took.

The makers of StarCaps have suspended shipments of the product after allegations it contains the banned substance, which the manufacturers do not list as an ingredient.

One of the grounds for the players appeal was that they simply were taking the product to reach prescribed weight standards. However, the NFL policy states: The use of so-called blocking or masking agents is prohibited by this policy. These include diuretics or water pills, which have been used in the past by some players to reach an assigned weight. Players are responsible for what is in their bodies.

Not that the Saints have a fantastic defense to begin with, but take away their two DEs and it becomes almost laughable. If Grant, Smith, and McAllister are to be suspended, hopefully it happens this week.

And the Vikings cannot afford to lose the Williamses for 4 of the final 6 games. Especially since there's whispers that Jared Allen may be looking at a one game suspension for his repeated "dirty" hits.

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